


Learn to Read Slow

by Mara



Series: K Is for Koda [1]
Category: Power Rangers Dino Charge
Genre: Friendship, Gen, Team Bonding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-22
Updated: 2015-08-22
Packaged: 2018-04-16 13:56:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,105
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4627830
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mara/pseuds/Mara
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What was it like when there were just two Rangers at the museum?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Learn to Read Slow

**Author's Note:**

  * For [PockySquirrel](https://archiveofourown.org/users/PockySquirrel/gifts).



> This fic absolutely positively would not exist without the assistance of TheSecondBatgirl, who saved it on two separate occasions.

Chase slouched back in his chair, eyeing the other two occupants of the cave over the rim of his soda. This whole thing was just…well, it was bonkers is what it was. He'd finally decided to accept that the...Energems (he winced just thinking the melodramatic phrase) were real, but now the pretty professor had him working with a caveman. A caveman.

Said caveman was bent over a picture book Kendall had given him, sounding out words. It took Chase a good long moment to recognize that Koda was trying to say kookaburra. 

"What the—" Chase said, feet dropping to the floor as he craned his neck to see the book.

Kendall looked up. "Well, I was hoping _you_ would help him with his reading so I could get back to work. I thought this would be appropriate."

Scowling, Chase looked at the intricate drawing of a possum hanging by her tail. " _Possum Magic_? You do know I'm from New Zealand, not Australia, right?"

"But you recognized the book, didn't you?" Kendall smirked at him.

"Well, I—"

"Stop loafing and come over here." Kendall stood, walking to the other end of the lab, clearly eager to resume her work.

"Why do I have to spend my—"

"Over here now!"

Chase gave up with a sigh. If there was one thing he'd learned in the past few weeks, it was that arguing with the paleontologist was a waste of time and energy. He slouched his way over to Koda, whose eyes had been darting between the two of them with interest.

Dropping into the seat Kendall vacated for him, Chase sighed. There was probably someone less suited to the job of helping this guy learn to read, but it was tough to see who it might be. When he looked up, Koda was looking back, his expression hard to decipher.

"I not…" Koda frowned, obviously groping for the right word. 

Chase's foot tapped in impatience. "What?"

"I sleep!" Koda burst out.

"Huh?" 

"Long sleep."

Chase shook his head, getting irritated with the pointless conversation. 

"He slept for thousands of years," Kendall said, not looking up from the weirdly colored test tube she was pouring something into.

"I know that." 

"Hmm." Kendall turned away.

"Yeah, mate, you slept a really long time and now I'm on a team with…" Chase blinked as his brain finally woke up enough to grasp what they were saying. "Uh, how long have you been awake?"

Koda pursed his lips, looking frustrated as he shook his head.

"About three months," Kendall said. "Maybe a little longer before I found him, but not much."

Chase closed his eyes, feeling like a right bastard. Probably because he'd been acting like a right bastard. This guy had been thrown into a totally new world and in three months had started learning to read and speak English and make hamburgers and use a microwave. Chase had been in the United States for a lot longer than that and he'd mainly skated around until this Power Ranger thing happened by accident.

"Chase?" Koda sounded…worried. The guy was worried about him.

Chase managed a smile as he opened his eyes. "Sorry. I'm sorry."

Koda studied him again and seemed satisfied with what he saw. "Friend?" he asked.

"Friend."

Kendall's sigh of relief was audible and Chase rolled his eyes at her.

"Stupid!"

Chase whipped his head back to look at Koda, who was smiling. "What?" Who was he calling stupid?

"I not stupid!" Koda said proudly, touching his chest.

Grinning, Chase smacked Koda's shoulder. "No, you're not."

* * *

They did manage to get in some actual reading and English practice eventually, but when it descended to Chase teaching Koda words Kendall deemed inappropriate (and wasn't she just a bundle of fun), she finally threw her hands in the air and kicked them out.

"Go out for a couple of hours and…beat each other up or whatever it is boys do." She frowned. "But not—"

"Yes, Mom." Chase grinned as she frowned harder, but grabbed Koda's hand and dragged him outside before Kendall could change her mind.

"What should we do?" Chase said, looking around for inspiration.

"Do?" Koda blinked at him.

"What do you do for fun?" Chase grabbed his skateboard from where it was leaning against Kendall's truck. He waved it. "I ride this."

"Fun." Koda repeated the word in the tone Chase was already beginning to recognize as 'more explanation needed.' 

Chase opened his mouth, then closed it as he realized he had no idea what to say. Finally he shrugged. "C'mon." He set off at a jog for the nearby park, glancing back once to check that Koda was following…which he was, even if he still looked confused.

Once they'd reached some nice level ground that wasn't a museum parking lot, Chase dropped the skateboard on the ground and looked at Koda. "Watch," he said.

Street skating wasn't as much fun as a good half-pipe, but there wasn't really time to head to the skate park, so Chase ran through a couple of quick tricks using the steps and railing, and executing one truly excellent kickflip.

When he was done, he hopped off and grinned at Koda, whose eyes looked like they were going to pop out of his head. "The wheel," Chase said with glee, "is a bloody good invention."

Koda obviously hadn't understood the words, but the sentiment came through and he smiled back before gesturing to Chase to hand him the skateboard.

* * *

Two nights later, Chase grinned to himself. Koda was definitely learning fast, but Kendall's education plan was sorely lacking in certain vital areas. Like Internet memes.

Chase had casually left a music player in Koda's cave after stopping by to ask him about something minor. A player with only one song loaded onto it, just to make fast playing even easier.

Koda's sleeping arrangements made the whole thing a bit more awkward, but it would be worth it, Chase thought as he crept into the cave and poked at the player. Which immediately blasted out the dulcet tones of "Dragostea Din Tei" as Chase pounced onto Koda's sleeping mat and bellowed the lyrics at him.

"Nu mă, nu mă iei,  
Nu mă, nu mă, nu mă iei"

That was as far as he made it before a very muscular arm flung him against the wall. As he rubbed the back of his head and felt the lump forming, Chase thought perhaps in the future he'd avoid surprising Koda.

His English might not be top notch yet, but there was no question about the man's reaction time.

\--end—


End file.
